Kingpin’s assets worth ₹10 cr attached ₹200-cr drug case

As part of its investigation into the accused syndicate, the NCB had on January 31 this year seized narcotics worth ₹200 crore, including 11.54 kg of cocaine, 4.9 kg of cannabis (ganja) and 5.5 kg of cannabis gummies from a Navi Mumbai flat

MUMBAI: The competent authority under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) (SAFEMA) Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on Wednesday confirmed the attachment of assets worth around ₹10.07 crore belonging to an alleged kingpin of a Mumbai-based narcotics trafficking syndicate with international links.

Kingpin’s assets worth ₹10 cr attached ₹200-cr drug case

The assets were attached on August 12 by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)’s Mumbai unit as part of its investigation into the kingpin and the syndicate that he led from abroad before being deported from Malaysia to India in May this year on the agency’s request. The kingpin was allegedly involved in the smuggling of cocaine and other drugs while operating from foreign countries, including Thailand and Malaysia. He was deported to Mumbai in a joint operation involving the NCB, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Interpol and the Malaysian authorities, NCB sources said.

The deportation of the kingpin was based on an Interpol Red Corner Notice, which warrants arrest or detention of wanted subjects globally, issued on the NCB’s request. The attached assets included funds in 15 bank accounts, seized cash and five properties located in Maharashtra, according to NCB sources.

The NCB investigation revealed that the kingpin, while based in Thailand, had allegedly orchestrated the smuggling of cocaine into Mumbai, which was received, transported and distributed domestically and also smuggled to foreign destinations by syndicate members. “In the course of the investigation, the kingpin was deported from Malaysia and was arrested,” a NCB source said.

The other accused persons arrested by the NCB included a hawala operator, a transporter, a distributor and a peddler, the source said. In July, the NCB submitted a chargesheet against the nine accused in a Belapur court, Navi Mumbai, under the provisions of the NDPS Act.

“This case exemplifies the NCB’s commitment to identifying drug-trafficking networks and disrupting their ecosystem by freezing assets acquired through drug money,” the source said.